Carole Smith Wiley
November 3, 1935 - May 19, 2021
The Wiley family mourns the passing of Carole Smith Wiley, known affectionately to her family as Pom. She died peacefully on May 19 in her favorite chair at home in Cambridge. Formerly of Wellesley, Massachusetts, Carole was a passionate and patient caregiver, an animal lover and an ardent supporter of education. To her family, she was a beloved grandmother, a devoted mother, a loving and committed wife, who was a model for doing the right thing. She took immense joy in her grandchildren and great pleasure in attending their activities. In recent years, she was a fixture at Simoni Rink in Cambridge. Carole was an active volunteer. She was adored by teachers, staff and students at the Baldwin School in Cambridge and known for her kindness with children and bravery with various animals and reptiles. She was petite in size but tough as nails. Her quiet sense of humor and gentle approach was always appreciated, especially by children.
Carole was born on November 3, 1935 in Dayton, Ohio. She was an Army “brat” who moved around with her parents Harry Smith and Thelma Vogelsang before they eventually settled back in Dayton. She met her future husband Richard “Dick” Wiley while working at Wright Patterson Air Force Base where he was a Major in the JAG Corps. She accepted a tennis date despite never having played and fell deeply in love. She attended Miami University in Ohio before moving to Boston where she obtained her B.A. from Simmons College. Carole worked at Harvard Law School before having children and becoming a stay-at-home mother. She defined the dignity and importance of being a homemaker and caregiver in an era in which women’s roles in America changed.
Carole is survived by her children, Kendra Kilsdonk, Stewart and Garett Wiley; their spouses, Dan Kilsdonk, Susan Matkoski, and Soo Kang; and her grandchildren, Griffin Lester, Joren Kilsdonk, Michael and Emmett Wiley, and Blueberry Kang.
Her life will be celebrated by her family in a private ceremony on May 28th in Springfield, MA where she will be buried next to her beloved husband Richard.